Near To You
by winterschildren
Summary: Sequel to The Build Up: After Sokovia, Emma finds herself drowning in her own disappointment after losing someone. She is struggling with her newfound abilities and how to control them, while trying to keep her teammates from ripping each other apart. She hopes that in saving the man who saved her, she can somehow find a way to forgive herself. Slow Burn. Set during CA:CW.
1. Year Later

**This is the sequel to The Build Up, and I suggest you give it a read-through (even a skim-through would work) before reading this one. I hope you enjoy it, let me know how you like it! It feels so good to finally be able to share this with you, because I've been waiting a while.**

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 _Why are people so worried about time? You're getting everything done at once, or you're procrastinating. You're rushing to get ready for the party, or you're showing up ten minutes late. You're either planning your entire life around the digits on a clock, or… you're not._

 _Am I supposed to measure my life in time? In minutes and hours? In how long I've been alive? Or should I be measuring my life in what really matters? Like the smell of Steve cooking breakfast in the mornings, and inside jokes. How many episodes of Gilmore Girls I can watch in a day without being disturbed, or the taste of my grandmother's apple pie. Should I measure my life in old mix CDs, and cups of coffee before bed? What about movie nights, Bridget Jones quotes, and watching the sunset?_

 _That makes more sense… to measure it in memories._

The pen hesitated on the paper, waiting for the next line of words to pop into the mind of the writer. Emma clicked it's end a few times, tapping it on the page of her leather-bound journal; the one Steve had bought her for her birthday last year. He said, 'instead of keeping it to yourself', before handing her the gift wrapped in a sparkly, pink paper.

It had been roughly eight months since, before she finally cracked the spine and opened it. She had never written in a journal before, never put her thoughts into words that she didn't speak to herself. But before long, she was jotting down all of the things she didn't want to forget; even if it was just a little thing, like 'Wanda really enjoys watching Friends', and she would scribble it in the corner of a page she had already filled up.

Stuck in between the pages were the pictures of her friends. After investing in an old Polaroid camera, Emma became obsessed with capturing the moments she wanted to last forever. And even sometimes the ones that didn't make sense, like a single picture of Clint and Nat in a heated discussion about which weapon was better; his bow or her electrifying stingers. Her favorite one, however, was a picture of a very upset Tony after Thor had accidentally sat Moljinar down on Tony's favorite suit jacket. The giant pout on the billionaire's face, after he had ripped his jacket while trying to pull it from underneath the unwavering hammer was priceless.

She closed the pen inside of the journal and stood up from the couch, moving from the common room to the kitchen. Vision was playing a game of chess with himself, he had asked her if she wanted to learn, but she was certain that trying to play a game with Mr. Know-It-All, would be like watching paint dry. Watching paint dry _while_ playing chess. She didn't even blink before turning him down. He looked up at her from his place at the island, studying her as she moved through the cupboards.

"There is no more Cinnamon Toast Crunch." He told her without her even needing to ask. "I believe Captain Rogers finished off the rest this morning."

Emma closed the cabinet, her forehead hitting the wood with a soft _thud_. "There was more than half a box left!" She complained at her friend's bottomless stomach, silently cursing him in her head without thinking that Vision could hear every word.

Steve, Wanda, Sam, and Natasha were all on a mission in Nigeria. They had left that morning, and there was no telling when they'd be back. The headquarters had been eerily silent since, and the young girl was becoming frighteningly more restless with each passing second. Her legs craved to be stretched, and her fingers fidgeted for something to keep them occupied.

After settling on a bowl of Bran Flakes- which would not have been first, second, or third choice- Emma decided to head to the gym; there was a punching bag waiting for her with her name on it. Every single day she spent hours working on her hand-to-hand combat; recruiting whoever was available to become her sparring partner. She was tired of feeling like a rookie among a team of well-seasoned veterans.

It didn't help that she still couldn't control her _outbursts._

After Wanda suggested that her body was like a battery that needed to be charged, controlling and hiding her ability became harder than ever. She would do something as simple as touch the coffee pot, and suddenly she'd feel her palm start to itch; and not long after a blast of bright light would expel from the center of her hand. Every time she thought about the energetic connection, her mind would send the signal to her hands to propel a luminescent dagger into the air.

And it was nearly impossible not to think about it.

Vision knew, because like Wanda, Vision could read minds. And because he also knew that Emma was keeping it a secret from the team, out of respect and maybe even friendship, he kept it a secret as well. During many sleepless nights, she would sneak to the roof of the building, and just concentrate on creating little orbs of light. She'd sit indian-style under the stars, pulling energy from whatever was around her, and spew out thousands of tiny lights; like fireflies in the summer air.

After she bruised her knuckles on the punching bag, and ran ten laps around the track, and even lifted weights- which she hated more than anything- she headed off towards the showers. When she was finished washing off her morning workout, she joined Vision- and now Rhodey- in the common room. They were watching the news footage of their teammates in Nigeria.

"Hey Rhodes," she called as she plopped down on the couch opposite him. Her hair was still damp from the shower as she ran a towel through it.

"What's up Short-Stack?" He asked, giving her a nod without taking his eyes from the television.

Emma moved her eyes to the screen as well, the giant headline scrolling on repeat along the bottom caught her attention: ' **AVENGERS OR TERRORISTS'**. Her heart sank as the news anchor called her friends murderers, Wanda in particular.

"What happened?" She asked.

"Wanda tried to control an explosion that would have killed both her and Captain Rogers, and dozens of Nigerian civilians. Instead it killed eleven Wakandans that had traveled there on an outreach mission, not to mention those severely injured. The number of deaths is sure to rise." Vision replied to the point.

She sighed, letting her head drop into her hands as she dug at her eyes with the heels of her palms. "This, after what happened the last time we went after Rumlow six months ago, is not going to go over well. We were tyrants then, and now we're murderers."

"Technically it's just Wanda," Rhodey piped in. Emma shot him a look that had him regretting the words that had just come from his mouth.

When the team returned, there wasn't a single smiling face. She had jolted from the couch as soon as Steve stepped through the front doors and wrapped her arms around his neck. He was happy to see her, but he wasn't happy. They completed the mission, but they also failed. Steve's rule to protect the people at all cost was the main priority of every mission they embarked on. She could see in his eyes just how disappointed he was in himself.

The days dragged on, the mood in the facility darker than ever. Steve spent his time beating the sand out of countless punching bags, and Wanda kept to herself in her room. Each time Emma went to knock, she could hear the TV replaying the news footage from that day in Lagos; another reporter with their harsh words. So she gave her time, just like Wanda had given Emma time after Sokovia.

She spent her time with Sam, who was hardly ever phased by anything, and always tried to keep the mood light. His competitive nature made for some great game nights, and a lot of races around the track. He even let her try on his wings, once, but swore never again after she almost crashed herself into a tree. A polaroid of that moment was definitely taken, and shoved into her journal with the caption, 'NEVER AGAIN'.

Things had seemed to be getting back to normal until the entire team received an email; the subject line, 'Conference Room- twenty minutes'. Emma was sitting at the island, in her pajamas and hair in a messy bun when she read Tony's message. She cursed him for not giving her more notice. Twenty minutes was a short amount of time. She hadn't gotten a lot of sleep last night, and was nursing an awful headache.

But she jumped out of her seat nonetheless and headed to her room.

"What's this about?" She asked Sam as she passed his room and walked into hers. His door was open, and he sat at the foot of his bed, phone in hand.

"Who knows." He replied, obviously annoyed. He had plans today, and Tony was unknowingly ruining them. "Who gives a twenty minute notice?" She could hear him scoff.

"That's what I'd like to know." She replied as she pulled out fresh clothes from her closet.

She was five minutes late, and wasn't pleased to know that the conference hadn't started without her. Tony rolled his eyes as she entered the room; makeup applied, hair done, and wearing her best business casual wear. Embarrassed, she shrunk into a seat at the table next to Steve. He gave her a reassuring smile.

"Five years ago," Secretary Ross began. "I had a heart attack." He held his hands over his shoulders as if he was about to swing at an imaginary golf ball. "I dropped right in the middle of my back-swing. It turned out it was the best round of my life, because after thirteen hours of surgery and a triple bypass, I found something that forty years in the army never taught me. Prospective."

Emma furrowed her brows as she shot a glance over at Sam who looked equally confused as to how this man's heart attack was the least bit relevant.

"The world owes the Avengers an unpayable debt." He continued. "You have fought for us, protected us, risked your lives. But while a great many people see you as heroes, there are some who would prefer the word vigilantes."

"And what word would you use, Mr. Secretary?" Nat asked with a ghost of a smirk on her face.

"How about dangerous?" He answered, obviously not in the mood for her attitude. "What would you call a group of U.S based, _enhanced_ individuals who routinely ignore sovereign borders, and inflict their will wherever they choose and who, frankly, seem unconcerned about what they leave behind?"

The screen behind him came to life with images of New York City, in the first Avengers battle against Loki. Emma had seen the footage, and was unimpressed that it was brought up to make a case against them. She wasn't there, she was still moping around in Luray, Virginia. But she knew that her friends did everything possible to ensure there were the least amount of civilian casualties possible. Tony even flew a bomb through a hole in the sky, into space, without knowing if he would live to see the next day.

Videos of Washington D.C played after, showing the destruction of S.H.I.E.L.D after government officials, sworn to protect this country, unleashed a program that would kill thousands of people just because they were afraid of what they could do. Those people included her entire team. Her heart tightened at the footage of her birth city being shrouded in fire and destruction, but it was still unavoidable. If not for Sam and Steve, and Natasha, the impact would have been much more devastating.

And then her eyes widened as the screen shuffled to images of Sokovia. She glanced to Wanda, whose eyes were fixed on the screen. She didn't have an excuse for this one. That was on them, she knew it. They all knew it. She was there as Tony singlehandedly created a robot terrorist who wanted to destroy the human race as they knew it. But they found a way to stop it. They found a way to reduce the number of deaths, and save the world once again.

Emma was fed up with this play. After the videos of Lagos played, she'd had enough. She wanted to stand up for her team, give this man a piece of her mind. But her legs were frozen in place, a red mist wrapping around them keeping them glued to her chair. She looked up at Wanda who slowly shook her head, warning her not to do what she was thinking.

"Okay," Steve said. "That's enough."

"For the past four years, you've operated with unlimited power and no supervision." The Secretary stated. "That's an arrangement that the governments of the world can no longer tolerate. But, I think we have a solution." His assistant handed him a thick book, and he dropped it to the table in front of Wanda. "The Sokovia Accords, approved by one-hundred and seventeen countries. It states that the Avengers should no longer be a private organization. Instead they'll operate under the supervision of a United Nations panel, only when and if that panel deems it necessary."

Emma looked at the front cover of the book and slid it straight over to Steve. He glanced up at her and took a deep breath. "The Avengers were formed to make the world a better place. I feel we've done that."

She nodded slightly at his comment, letting her know she agreed with him.

"Tell me, Captain. Do you know where Thor and Banner are right now?" Secretary Ross asked. "If I misplaced a couple thirty mega-ton nukes, you can bet there'd be consequences. Compromise, reassurance. That's how the world works. Believe me, this is the middle ground."

"So there are contingencies?" Rhodes asked.

"Three days from now the U.N meets in Vienna to ratify the accords. So talk it over."

"And if we come to a decision you don't like," Natasha asked Ross before he left.

"Then you retire." He replied rather simply before he and his assistant exited the room.

Emma kept her eyes on Steve; wondering what he was going to do next.

There was no question, no doubt, not even a hint of a doubt in her mind what she was going to do. She'd follow Steve through Hell, if he thought the people of Hell needed saving. He would most likely be right about it, too. It wasn't just because he was her best friend, it was because she believed in him. She placed her hope in him. And so far, there was nothing Captain America had done to prove to her that she was wrong in doing so.

As her friends bickered in the conference room, Emma saw herself out, moving to sit in the kitchen instead. She carded her hands through her hair and rubbed her temples. Her headache was finally starting to disappear and the last thing she wanted to do was be caught in the middle of a heated debate on whether or not they should sign that stupid book.

"What do you think, kid?" Tony entered the kitchen, standing on the opposite side of the island. He leaned his elbows on the counter top and stared right at her, making her shift in his brown-eyes gaze.

"I think I need to know more before I make a decision like that," she answered rather honestly. "But right now, I have a migraine, and I don't feel like thinking. I'm neutral, until further notice."

He chuckled, "I can deal with neutral, for now."

"Do you mind if I go and take a nap?" She asked him, hopping off of her stool and grabbing a bottle of water from the refrigerator.

He shook his head and she smiled at him, sensing that he had a lot on his mind. From her bedroom she could hear them arguing on the floor above her. That was at least until Steve stormed past her bedroom door, and down the hall to his own room. She sat up in her bed as she listened to him slam open his door.

Emma crawled out of bed, following the sounds of drawers opening and closing. When she came into Steve's threshold she saw him fervently packing a suitcase. Her eyebrows shifted, coming together at the center of her forehead.

"What's going on?" She asked him. When he met her gaze, she could see the red in his eyes. He had been crying. "Steve, what's wrong?"

"It's Peggy." He replied, voice breaking with each syllable. "I'm going to London. I'll call you when I get there. I'll be back in a few days." He zipped up his baggage and looked at her, placing one hand on her shoulder. "Please, don't let them talk you into doing anything stupid."

Her head nodded, and Steve left her standing in the doorway, jogging down the hallway towards the elevator. She swallowed the lump in her throat, as she watched him. The look in his eyes after having just lost Peggy made her want to cry, and she never even met the woman.

After a few moments, Emma trudged back to her bed. She plopped down on her covers and pulled a pillow over her head to shield herself from the sunlight spilling in through the windows. It didn't take long before she was asleep.

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 **All things considered, I thought it was a decent first chapter. What'd you guys think?**

 **The inspiring playlist:**

 **1\. Go Easy Little Doves, I'll Be Fine - Brooke Waggoner**

 **2\. Strange Times - The Black Keys**

 **3\. Consequences - Henry Jackman**

 **Reviews are appreciated and encouraged. They fuel me.**


	2. Power And Control

**Thank you so much to NESSAANCALIME6913 for the first review, and to those who favorited and followed. I hope to get more and more of you! I'm so excited to be writing this, and I know that you all will like it once the ~magic~ *happens*.**

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Steve made good on his promise, calling as soon as he touched down at London City Airport. It was this thing they had; no matter where they went, they both wanted to know that the other had made it there safely. When Emma spent a month in Athens, they would talk on the phone nearly every day. And she even taught him what a video chat was, and how to use it.

She was happy to know that his plane didn't crash in the Atlantic, but her stomach still dropped at the daunting sadness in his voice. Sam was there with him, which she was thankful for. He shouldn't have to be alone at a time like this. Sam would keep him smiling, and that's what he needed. She could hear him making jokes in the background, making some serious bets that he would beat her ass at pool when he came back.

Nat left the next day for Vienna, wanting to be present for the signing of the accords. Tony would have gone, but he had prior engagements that may or may not have had to do with Pepper. He didn't talk much about his personal life, but when he started spending a lot more time at the new facility and not the tower, Emma knew something was wrong.

She was happy that she had Wanda back, and wasn't stuck with Rhodey and Vision again. Not that it was a bad thing, but if she had to choose between working out with Wanda and working out with James "Ow, my back!" Rhodes, she would choose Wanda every time. And besides, that gave her a chance to work on adding her ability to her combat, which, she floundered at terribly.

"Again!" Wanda stated, catching her breath as her glowing red eyes settle back to her original hazel ones. "It has to be second-nature. Throw a punch, throw a ball of light, suck the energy right out of your opponent and use it to your advantage."

"Do you think I could actually do that?" Emma asked, hands on her knees and chest heaving. Wanda wouldn't stop until she was satisfied with her friend's results. And right now she was so far from satisfied, it wasn't funny. "Do you think I could suck the energy out of my opponent?"

"Why not?" Wanda asked after taking a drink from her water bottle. "You'll never know until you try, and right now you're not trying."

The two women prepared themselves once more for another sparring match, and before Wanda could even blink, Emma had pulled the electricity from the overhead lights and sent out a blast of white light that knocked Wanda to her feet. Wanda didn't stay down for long, and was able to get to her feet when she pulled Emma's right out from under her. Vision hovered in the corner, watching the pair as they took turns dealing out blows. While Wanda was helping Emma with power control, Emma had been passing down her hand-to-hand skills, giving Wanda a new edge.

Wanda was doing an exceptional job at keeping Emma's hands from wrapping around one of her appendages, but after Emma delivered a swift kick to the Sokovian's abdomen, Emma grabbed a hold of Wanda's arm and summoned the energy right out of Wanda's core. And for only a moment's time, Emma felt stronger than ever, turning to an unsuspecting Vision and unleashing a series of daggers one after another directed right at him; knowing that he would be unaffected.

When she turned back to Wanda, the girl only stared at Emma with wide eyes. Emma couldn't tell if it was fear, or excitement, or both; or if she was just surprised. When she held her hand out to help her friend from the floor, Emma could feel her giving Wanda back some of the energy she had 'borrowed'.

"I guess you can actually do that." She said, dusting off her legs. "I wonder what else."

"I would assume whatever uses energy," Vision replied as he hovered over to where the girls stood. "Which is all living things."

"How did it feel?" She asked Wanda as she stared down at her hands.

"It felt like my body shut down for a moment." She held up her hand and her red mist wrapped around her fingers. "I tried to use this, to stop you from attacking Vis, but it wouldn't work."

Emma was still in disbelief. A wave of different emotions washed over her, her mind racing with questions that she dare not ask. Both Wanda and Vision could hear every single one, however, whether Emma wanted to ask them or not. Every day she learned something new about her ability, and learning that she could literally drain someone of their energy was just a little too much. What if she had hurt Wanda, or taken _too much_? What if her ability, combined with Wanda's would have somehow hurt Vision?

And then she felt guilt, knowing now all of the things she could do, and not being able to save _him_. Emma shook the thoughts from her mind and grabbed her towel and water bottle, darting towards the shower, leaving Wanda and Vision without a word. She didn't ask for this. She didn't want it. It didn't make her anymore special than she already was. She became an Avenger because she worked hard, and trained hard, and had heart. Not because of this.

She stood underneath the water, letting the warmth tame her restless mind. Her head lolled back as the stream cascaded down her back, soothing her sore muscles. That was something she didn't think any amount of power would ease. Her muscles were almost in a permanent state of pain, and for a second she could hear Steve's authoritative tone in her head telling her that she needed to take it easy; which he did, often. But she never listened in her strive to be better.

With a towel wrapped around her sable colored hair, she stepped out of the steamy room into the hallway with only a towel wrapped around her frame. She flicked the television over to the news, catching up with the world in the few hours that she had been in the gym with Wanda. There was nothing exciting, unless you were signing the accords today in Berlin. Emma still remained up in the air, at least until Steve did. Everyone else had made up their mind for the most part, Tony was still trying heavily to persuade Wanda, but Vision, Natasha, Rhodey, and Tony had all signed.

Clint didn't want anything to do with it, stating that he was retired.

She watched the live footage as she pulled on a pair of old, ripped jeans and a Virginia Is For Lovers t-shirt. Then she stood in the mirror, and really looked at herself. There were bags under her eyes from a constant lack of sleep. The muscle she had gained made her look puffy, and chubbier than she had before. Her thighs still touched, but now they were just a little more toned. She would have thought that someone who could harness energy could make herself at least look a little more energized.

In the corner of her eye, Emma saw an explosion on the television screen. She whipped around and watched as a bomb ripped through the United Nations building. The building that Nat was in. The scene was chaotic as news reporters and policemen ran around in panic as a thick, black smoke emitted from the building. In an instant her phone rang, and it was Tony, and he was frantic letting her know that he was headed for Vienna right now and not to panic.

She hung up and dialed for Nat, but she didn't pick up. And then she called Steve, but he didn't pick up either. She ran out into the common room where Wanda was just as frightened as she was, hurriedly dialing numbers on her phone.

"No one is answering," she stated with a worried sigh.

Something on the screen caught Emma's attention, and the phone she was holding fell from her hands. The name flashed across the television as a black and white picture stared back at her; James Buchanan Barnes. The Winter Soldier. The Assassin. The man who saved her life a little over one year ago. Her throat dried as she read the headline.

"Steve and Sam are on their way to Vienna, now." Wanda stated from behind her.

It was just noise as she watched the screen, listening intently to the reporter who stood outside of the burning building. Her fingers flew to her phone, opening the message thread between herself and Steve. _I want to come with you_ , she sent to him; watching as the message was almost immediately received and read. She knew he would be going after his old friend, his Bucky. And she wanted to be there when he found him. Emma promised that she would help, and come hell or high water, she would keep that promise.

Without an answer from the Captain, Emma bolted to her room, pulling out her suitcase and began packing a few outfits and her suit. She tossed in her combat boots, and the handgun she kept on her bedside table, along with her phone charger. Her phone vibrated in her back pocket as she recounted the items, making sure she didn't need to take anything else.

 **Steve:** I'll call you when I know where we're going.

She pulled the extending handle from her luggage and rolled it behind her, back towards the common room. Wanda had just gotten off of the phone with Nat, and assured Emma that she was fine. Vision was glued to the television screen as news of the Wakandan king, T'Chaka, had been among the casualties of the bombing.

She was becoming restless as she waited for Steve, her knees bounced and her hands were fidgety. And Emma played with the tiny orbs of light that she could produce in order to pass the time. Wanda joined in, moving the lights with her mind as the two made idle small-talk about finding Barnes, and what she would even say to him if they did; there was the possibility that he wouldn't recognize her, and "hey, my name's Emma and you saved my life", didn't seem like the best conversation starter.

The sound of her phone vibrating on the glass surface of the side table made Emma jump, and simultaneously all of the light orbs dissipated into thin air. She answered her phone and pressed it to her ear, and without saying a thing, Steve muttered three words:

"He's in Bucharest."

Just like that, Emma sprung from the couch, explaining to her comrades that she needed to go; and she might not be back for a few days. She gave Wanda a hug, letting her know she'd call her as soon as she landed in Romania. It surprised her when Vision didn't protest her leaving, after having Wanda confined to the facility.

"Friday," Emma called as soon as she walked through the doors of the hangar, her luggage in tow. "Can you fire up one of these things?" She headed for one of the quinjets, hoping that Stark's technological assistant could be her pilot. After all, she had never driven one of those things, and didn't plan on learning. There were way too many buttons for her mind to compute.

 _"Where would you like to go, Ms. Shaw?"_ The sultry operating system asked.

"Bucharest," she replied. "And as quickly as possible."

 _"All aboard,"_ Friday sent a signal to the jet to open it's hatch.

Emma climbed into the plane, strapping herself in. She had brought the file containing everything S.H.I.E.L.D knew of James Barnes, and studied it on the way. The jet flew through the air faster than she allowed herself to think about, and the file was a distraction. Emma had all but memorized every word on every page, but just in case she missed something…

As she closed in on her destination, she placed a tiny device in her ear, and hoped that it would link her to Steve and Sam who were already on the ground. "Are you guys there?" She asked, checking the two guns she had on her person. Both were fully loaded, and both were ready to fire at any minute.

 _"Nice of you to join us, Em."_ Sam replied.

A smile came to her lips at her friend's voice, and she could see the jet coming to land on an empty rooftop. "What's the plan guys?" She asked as she stepped off of the plane, letting Friday know to fly it home if they got in trouble.

 _"Surveillance,"_ Steve replied. _"Sam's on the roof of the apartment building. Bucky's in the market, you mind getting down there so we can have someone on the ground?"_

"Not at all." Emma climbed down the fire escape of the building, heading in the direction in which Steve had said the market was. She kept a low profile, and it helped that her tact suit wasn't technologized with the latest and greatest Stark technology. It also wasn't red, white, and blue. She could easily blend in.

Her eyes scanned the busy Romanian streets, flitting to each face in search of the one. She was at the tomato stand when she found him; surveying plums across the street. His back was turned to her, but she knew it was him judging by the pure wall of muscle that only a super-serum could produce. Her eyes absentmindedly wandered from his broad shoulders to his thighs."I've got eyes on the prize." She blurted, and immediately wanted to kick herself.

When he turned to face the street, Emma adverted her gaze back down to the tomatoes, not wanting him to see her. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed him cross the street, and her heart began to race. He stopped momentarily at the newsstand that was only a booth away from her, before storming down the street. "Looks like he's headed back home, guys." Emma informed the men as she fell in step behind Barnes, following him.

 _"I'm already here,"_ Steve replied.

Emma struggled to keep up with the man as he made his way through the busy streets. His long legs carried him faster than her short legs could carry her, and before she knew it, he was lost among the crowd. "Sam, you got eyes on Barnes?"

 _"Negative."_ Sam informed. Emma noticed the heavy police presence in the area, and knew that it wasn't a coincidence. _"Heads up, Cap. German special forces headed in from the south."_

 _"Understood."_ Steve stated.

Emma headed to the south side of the building. She could cause a diversion, give Steve a little more time to get Bucky out of here and to some place much safer, where there weren't dozens of cops aimed to kill. She watched around the corner, as they all got into position, and waited for the right moment. She could hear Steve talking to his old friend through her earpiece, and wished that she could be up there, too.

In the alleyway, she noticed two street lights and she concentrated on pulling the electricity from them in order to give herself as much charge as she could possibly get. It was at least six feet from her, and she wondered if she was too far away; but then heard Wanda's voice in her head again saying, _"You never know until you try"_. Suddenly the light bulb popped, sending glass shards falling to the ground.

Emma lolled her head back as she felt the energy settle in her bones, ready to snap like a rubber band at any second; daggers of light eager to fly from her fingertips.

 _"They're entering the building,"_ Sam told them.

Her time was coming, she could feel it. An excitement danced beneath her skin as she turned her attention towards the other street lamp. This one was twice as far, and took half the time before that light bulb also burst, filling her with more power. She couldn't have been more ready than she was now.

 _"They're on the roof,"_ Sam's voice notified them once more. _"I'm compromised."_

Suddenly, she could hear a flash grenade going off in the apartment building and she raised her gun in the air firing off two shots to draw some of the attention to her. It worked, and in seconds Emma was surrounded in the alley. One of the officers ordered for her to drop her weapons, and put her hands up. She complied, sending out a giant burst of light that knocked all six Romanian cops to the ground unconscious.

Sam flew down to join her, and the two worked together to take out the task force members. In the distance she could hear helicopters and police sirens, and knew that soon enough, they would be overrun. "Steve, we need to get out of here. This place is about to be crawling with cops."

He didn't reply, as he was fighting his own battles inside. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the figure of a man jumping from the apartment building to a rooftop below, and knew it had to be Barnes. Within a second, an unknown, all black-suited man flew through the air after him. The sight distracted Emma enough that she didn't noticed the cop coming up behind her. With one swift kick, Sam took him out; warning her to pay attention.

 _"Sam,"_ Steve called through coms. _"Southwest rooftop."_

"I'm on it!" Her winged-friend replied before taking off into the sky. _"Who the hell's the other guy?"_

 _"I'm about to find out."_ Cap replied.

Emma made her way through the cops, using her abilities, knowing that her friends were too busy to notice. It was much easier than hand-to-hand, and she was almost out of bullets. She was tempted to see how far she could go. Just how much energy could she suck from a person before they died? But she shoved those dark thoughts to the back of her mind as she tossed an orb of light through the air, disabling a man.

 _"Shaw, he's going to jump!"_ Steve yelled. _"Can you intersect him?"_

"I'm a little busy at the moment!" She replied as she took on two officers. Sam swooped down and pulled one into the sky before dropping him back to the ground from a good hundred feet. "Thanks, Sam."

 _"He's in the tunnel,"_ Steve said between baited breaths as he ran after Bucky.

"I'll meet you at the other end," She replied as she hijacked an unsuspecting man's motorcycle. She yelled a 'sorry' to him before speeding off through the crowded streets, already tagged by two Romanian police cruisers. She tried to shoot out their tires, but ended up wasting bullets as she wasn't able to steady her hand driving along the cobblestone streets.

Emma sped through the traffic, hoping to cut Barnes off before he got the chance to run. There was no way he'd make it out of the country alive, and she couldn't have that. Not just because of her own agenda, but because this was Steve's best friend. This was his family. The only piece of his old life that he had left.

She could see them up ahead. Bucky raced straight for her, and she didn't know if she should shoot him or run him over. There was no way she could use her power without steve seeing her, so she chose the latter, knowing it certainly wouldn't kill him, but would disable him long enough for them to get him out of here. He wasn't stopping, however, and then he reached his metal hand out and grabbed the handle of her bike; jerking it towards him, sending her flying off in the process. She stared up at him in disbelief as he mounted the bike and sped off in one fluid motion.

Steve had to swerve to avoid hitting her, but slowed down long enough for her to hop in. "What the hell, Steve?" She yelled at him. He kept his eyes on the road, jaw-line set straight as he gritted his teeth. His knuckles were white as he gripped the steering wheel. On the back of the vehicle was the masked man, hanging on as they swerved in and out of cars.

Emma cocked her gun. "His suit is bulletproof," Steve told her. His eyes still on the road. When she turned back around, the man was no longer there and she could hear footsteps on the roof of the vehicle. Suddenly, he was on the hood, and lunged for Bucky who effortlessly snatched him out of the air by the throat.

She gasped as they almost crashed, but Bucky saved himself and the masked man went rolling through the streets. Steve pulled the car to the left, not wanting to hit the man, and stayed tailing Barnes. "Steve watch out!" She screamed, seeing Bucky toss a bomb to the roof of the tunnel.

"Jump!" Steve yelled as the bomb exploded. Steve hit the brakes hard and threw the car into park , sending the two of them diving out of the windshield. Her more experienced teammate hit the ground running straight for the masked vigilante and Bucky. Emma, however, hit the ground with a hard thud, and scrambled to get out of the way of the car that came crashing through the explosion.

As she picked herself from the ground, they became surrounded by Romanian police officers and the German task force. Rhodey flew in to join them, or more, to take them in. "Stand down. Now." He warned them, and Emma took her place next to Steve. His gun was directed right at the trio, his hands up, ready to send out missiles at whoever disobeyed him.

That was when she saw Bucky. _Really_ , saw him. His face was no longer hidden by a baseball cap pulled down too low, and his long chestnut colored hair fell into his eyes as he tried to catch his breath. Their eyes connected for only a second before he shifted them back to Rhodes, but she didn't get the notion that he even slightly remembered her.

"Congratulations, Cap." Rhodey continued. "You're a criminal."

Emma fought against the officers who pulled her hands behind her back and cuffed them together. Their hands becoming grabby as they searched her figure for weapons. She could probably put an end to all of this by blowing her cover, but she couldn't. She wouldn't.

"I expected more from you," The War Machine stated. His eyes looking directly at her. "We all did."

* * *

 **This one was nearly 4,000 words without the added notes. Just wanted you to know. It's my birthday and I'm giving you updates. Partly because I have no friends, partly because there's nothing else I'd rather be doing on a day off. I really hope you enjoy it.**

 **It's crazy to me that this is the second chapter of this story, and I'm already half way through the movie. No, I am not watching a bootleg copy to make sure I get all the quotes and sequences right. I would never do that. Bootlegging is bad.** **So does any have any predictions? I'd love to hear them. Seriously. I'd love it more than anything. And it's... ya know... it's my birthday so...**

 **Musical inspiration!**

 **1\. Muthafucka - Beware Of Darkness**

 **2.** **The Tunnel - Henry Jackman**

 **Reviews are always appreciated and definitely encouraged! Thank you.**


	3. Sides

**Thank you to lourdes1694 for reviewing**

* * *

They were flown to Berlin, a city that Emma enjoyed very much when she wasn't shoved in the back of a German police van. She had spent a lot of time in the capital city after becoming an Avenger; learning the native language, but mostly learning how to pronounce the names of several German brews. She called it coping, the rest of her team called it irresponsible.

The ride from the airport was mostly silent, save for Sam making idle chit-chat whenever he thought of something funny to say. She was sat next to the Falcon, with Steve in the seat before them, and the new king of Wakanda, T'Challa; who had disguised himself as the Black Panther, the man that was going after Barnes in Bucharest. She hadn't seen Bucky since they locked him in a maxed-out holding cell, and carted him off to the cargo hold of the plane they flew in on.

"So you like cats?" Same asked, disrupting the silence of the vehicle once again.

"Sam," Emma warned.

"What?" He asked innocently. "Dude shows up dressed like a cat and you don't want to know more?" He looked at Emma with his shoulders raised, as if he had just made a valid point. Which he did, but now wasn't the time.

"Your suit," Steve began. "It's Vibranium?"

"The Black Panther has been the protector of Wakanda for generations. The mantle passed from warrior to warrior." T'Challa stated. His words were heavy with his Wakandan accent. "And now because your friend murdered my father, I also wear the mantle of King. So I ask you, as both warrior and king, how long do you think you can keep your friend safe from me?"

When the van came to a stop in the basement of a building Emma didn't recognize, the troupe were escorted from the vehicle. They had already been stripped of their gear and weapons, and Emma found herself in a jailhouse outfit with the term 'häftling' printed on the back. It meant 'prisoner' in English. As she stepped from the van, she looked to her left to see Bucky; catching his eyes before he looked away. She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, unable to help but feel sorry for what he was going through.

Ahead of them she noticed Sharon Carter. The two hadn't previously met, but Steve mentioned her often. And she had read the file of the former S.H.I.E.L.D agent, who risked her life to stand up to Brock Rumlow as HYDRA compromised their agency in Washington D.C.

"What's going to happen to him," Steve asked.

"The same thing that oughta happen to you." A man she did not recognize quipped back rather quickly. "Psychological evaluation and extradition."

"This Everett Ross," Carter stated. She seemed more than annoyed. "Deputy task-force Commander."

"What about a lawyer?" Emma asked.

"Lawyer?" Ross chuckled. "That's funny. See that their weapons are placed in lock up. We'll write you a receipt."

"I better not look out the window and see anybody flying around in that." Sam warned as the guards carted off their gear and suits.

Steve gave one more look over his shoulder at Bucky. Emma placed a hand on his back and gave him the push he needed to keep going. "We'll get him back," she said reassuringly.

"You'll be provided with an office instead of a cell, and do me a favor, stay in it." Ross continued as they made their way through the halls of the government building. If this is what's in store for the Avengers, Emma wanted nothing to do with it. A cubicle? Paperwork? She'd honestly rather retire.

She could see Natasha up ahead, and sighed in relief at the sight of her bag draped over her friend's shoulder. She tossed it to the younger woman who dug through it to find a fresh change of clothes and her journal. "Thought you might want something more comfortable," She mentioned. Emma mouthed a 'thank you' to the redhead. "For the record," Natasha said to Steve. "This is what making things worse looks like."

"He's alive," Steve replied to her.

As they entered the hub of the German terrorist office, Emma wasn't surprised to see Tony who was chatting away on his phone mentioning that there would be consequences, and making sure to quote him on it. The look on his face was a mixture of anger and disappointment, especially as his eyes dropped to her. She avoided his stare, knowing what was coming as soon as he got a moment alone with her. Her eyes scanned the walls for a bathroom, hoping to find one before he was done with his conversation, but didn't have much luck.

"Try not to break anything while we fix this," Nat stated in her 'mom' voice.

"Consequences?" Emma asked Tony once he hung up the phone.

"Secretary Ross wants you three prosecuted." He replied. "I had to give him something." She winced as he grabbed a hold of her elbow and pulled her off to the side. Steve and Sam left them to take a seat in the conference office, she wished they hadn't. "What happened to neutral?" Tony asked.

Emma pulled her arm from his grip, wanting to pull it back and slap him as hard as she could. It wouldn't have been the first time she wanted to. "My side was chosen for me when you decided to go after Barnes," she told him. Her eyes flickered to the surveillance video they had on Bucky.

"Oh, right." He rolled his eyes. "You're going to try and tell me that this doesn't have to do with whatever's been going on between you and Rogers, because I don't believe that for one second. What could you _possibly_ owe the deadliest assassin in United States history other than your allegiance because Mr. Perfect said so?"

"I don't know, Tony!" She fired back. "My life, maybe?"

He blinked at her before laughing to himself. "I was wrong to think that you were ready to be a part of this team. When we get back to New York, you're done."

She pulled back at his words, feeling the harsh bite of his tone. Her mouth opened to say something, but her throat was too dry, and nothing came out. The sting of tears pricked at her eyes, and she turned on her heel before he could see them; stomping away towards the restroom so that she could get changed. She couldn't keep them at bay as she closed the door behind her.

Maybe a year ago she would have agreed with him. She could admit that she had bad coping methods, and that she blamed herself a little too much for things that she had no control over. She could admit that most of the time, she had a hard time focusing- especially when there was an attractive man involved. She could admit that she still thought about the things that _could have been_. And yeah, she was keeping a monstrosity of a secret from her teammates, but it was only because she was afraid of how they'd look at her if they knew.

But she still came into work everyday. She still worked as hard as she could. Every day she was in that gym training for hours. She volunteered for every mission, even though she wasn't always chosen for the job. And here she was- once again- doing something because she wanted to, because it was the right thing to do and Tony Stark chalked it up to, 'because Mr. Perfect said so'.

A knock came from the door, plucking her right out of her thoughts. " _Hey, you okay in there?"_ It was Steve. _Of course it was Steve._ She splashed some water on her face to calm her nerves, muttering that she'd be out in just a second, and when she pulled open the bathroom door, sure enough he was leaning against the frame, waiting for her. "They're about to start the evaluation."

Emma nodded, following him into a small conference room. They watched as the psychologist began to interrogate his patient through a tiny television screen, and they couldn't hear a thing. The sight of Bucky made her heart hurt. She had no idea who he was, no matter how many times she read his file, that only covered the surface. Who he was, who he is, she didn't know if they were the same person. She hoped, because Steve hoped, that he was different than the tool HYDRA made him to be.

She'd never admit to Tony that he was right in the fact that it _was_ foolish of her to become involved in something that was so much bigger than her, because The Winter Soldier just decided not to kill her one day. Maybe it meant nothing.

Sharon came through the glass doors, handing Sam a piece of paper. "The receipt for your gear." She said before joining Steve at his side. Emma's eyes bounced from the woman to the Captain, wondering if there was something going on there that Steve had failed to mention. Maybe she wasn't the only one with secrets.

Sam scoffed as his eyes skimmed over the words. "Bird costume?" He asked, offended.

Sharon threw her hands in the air before turning back to Sam. "I didn't write it." Seconds later the television in their conference room tuned to Barnes' evaluation, and they were finally able to hear what was being said.

" _I'm not here to judge you,"_ The psychologist stated. " _I just want to ask you a few questions. Do you know where you are, James?"_ Bucky refused to answer, keeping his eyes glued to the ceiling of his holding cell. " _I can't help you if you don't talk to me, James."_

" _My name is Bucky."_

Through the monitor, Emma could see the doctor scribbling something down in his notebook. " _Tell me Bucky, you've seen a great deal haven't you?"_

" _I don't want to talk about it"_

" _You feel that if you open your mouth the horrors will never stop?"_ Emma shifted her gaze downward. " _Don't worry we only have to talk about one."_

Suddenly, the building lost power. Emma wondered if it was her, but she didn't feel any different. Whenever she drained something of it's power, she felt more powerful. She closed her eyes and thought about the building regaining it's electricity, but she could only make the lights in the conference room flicker. _This isn't the time to not want to work_ , she thought; internally speaking to the enhanced side of her.

"Sub level 5, east wing." Sharon said.

Emma jumped up, but Steve gave her a firm warning to stay where she was. If she was a better listener, she would have stayed, but someone had spotted Bucky in the lobby, she slipped out of the conference room and made her down three flights of stairs. Bucky left a trail of German officers in his wake, and it was easy to follow his trail.

"Hey, _James_!" She called over to him to take his attention away from the guard he was about to dispose of. It probably wasn't the best idea to call the man by his given name, judging by the look on his face when he turned to face her. His eyes were almost black, it seemed, and every muscle in his body became tense.

He began to stalk over to her, shoulders hunched, eyes set to kill. She picked up her pace to get a running start, and dealt a running knee to his midsection before swooping her leg upwards to hit him in the crotch. He threw a punch at her with his left arm, sending her back a few feet before she ran at him again. This time he caught her out of the air, but she swiveled her body around him so that she was positioned on his shoulders.

He carried her through the air as she dealt elbow after elbow to his head, hoping to knock him out. He slammed her down on a table, his metal hand wrapped firmly around her throat. She placed her hands on his forearm, hoping to suck the energy out of him, but her ability was no use against his metal appendage.

"You could at least recognize me." She choked out, but he was too far gone for that. The man standing in front of her now, inches away from killing her, was not the same man as before.

Suddenly his grip released, and Emma coughed as she tried to regain the oxygen she had lost. Tony was fighting him now, with Sharon and Nat not far behind. Bucky breezed through them easily, knocking Tony into a wall, sending Sharon flying through a table, and leaving Nat on her back. T'Challa was the only one of them who could actually give The Winter Soldier a run for his money, but Bucky was able to escape even him.

She managed to get up, throat still sore and panting, as she made her way to the exit. There was only chaos, and no sign of Barnes. "Sam!" She called when she saw her friend amidst the crowd.

"Hey, d'you see that guy?" He asked her, holding a heather gray jacket in his hands.

"What guy?"

"The doctor, psychologist, or whatever." He replied. "He's behind all of this, he made him go crazy. I was right behind him until he got out here, and I lost 'im. Where's Barnes?"

Emma shook her head. "Steve?"

"Last I saw he had gotten tossed down an elevator shaft." Sam spoke and Emma's eyes grew wide. "He's fine. It's an elevator shaft. The man can jump from ten story buildings and live."

"We gotta find him." She looked around at her surroundings, looking for a car or a quinjet that might be laying around somewhere.

"Yeah, well we can't go back in there." Sam added. "We'll be arrested immediately and put back in an office. And I ain't going back in no office." Just then, Emma heard a chopper roar to life from the roof of the building. Her eyes snapped up towards the sound, and then she looked at Sam. "Holy shit," her friend stated, his eyes still glued to the roof.

Emma followed his gaze only to see Steve hanging on to the helicopter, one hand on it's pedestal, the other clinging to the roof of the building. "That's got to be Barnes in that chopper," she said. Her words only confirmed when the plane took a sharp turn left, crashing right back into the roof before falling off the side, pulling Steve and Bucky into the lake below. "Come on!"

They ran to the edge of the water and waited, hoping their friend would emerge. But, as impatient as she was, Emma had already pulled her jacket off; ready to take a dive. As she started unlacing her boots, Sam gave her a poke in the ribs. She glanced up to see Steve bobbing in the water with Bucky in his arms. Her chest loosened at the sight of him, a thankful sigh escaped her, and a small smile pulled at the corner of her lips.

"We have to get out of here," her soaking wet friend stated as he trudged up to the bank. "Now."

* * *

 **"Her chest loosened at the sight of him, a thankful sigh escaped her, and a small smile pulled at the corner of her lips" was probably _not_ about Steve. AND BEFORE YOU ASK: Emma didn't use her ability on Bucky because there were too many people around. She didn't know where her teammates were at the time, and there could have been security cameras. She only tried to use it once her life was in danger, and even then it didn't work.**

 **This one is a little shorter than the last one (by like half) because if I keep giving you long ass chapters, I'm going to breeze through the movie, and this story would only be like six chapters long. And that's not what I want. I want to give you as much as I can give you without going too much off the script, and also giving you original material as well.**

 **Which is why the next chapter is my favorite. Well, so far it is anyways. I haven't gotten through much more than the next chapter. You might get another update today, you might not. I woke up extra early to give you guys this, so I hope my general hate of mornings doesn't shine too much in this chapter and it's actually decent.**

 **Musical inspiration for this chapter is brought to you by:**

 **1\. Boot Up - Henry Jackman**

 **Because the entire Civil War soundtrack is gold, btw. Reviews are always accepted and definitely appreciated. (I'm sure we can do better than two, but I'm not going to beg. Yet.)**


	4. The Backseat

**Thank you to ShapedLikeStars for the review.**

 **Enjoy this.**

* * *

I'm _not exactly sure of what I was expecting to happen when we finally found him. I mean, I only thought of every possible scenario over and over again in my head since the moment that he left me in that cell that night. But I didn't think of this. I didn't ever, for one second, think that I would become a wanted fugitive; on the run from the law with Captain America, Sam Wilson, and an assassin._

 _My heart aches for him, though…_

 _He's so broken, I couldn't even begin to explain it._

Emma looked up from her journal, her eyes focusing on the man in front of her. He had been unconscious for a while now. Every police car that passed by, every helicopter that flew over the abandoned warehouse they were holed up in, she thought to herself, _this is it._ And they would be caught, only she doubted that there'd be a cozy, government office waiting for them.

She didn't have her Polaroid, so instead she sketched a quick drawing of Bucky Barnes; his long sleeved red shirt, chestnut colored hair, and his metallic arm which was currently caught in a vice. Steve was so afraid of him running, or waking up and still wanting to kill everyone in his sight. Emma felt so terrible having helped plucked him out of the life that he was trying to build.

"Cap," Sam called to his friend. She was so busy with her nose stuck in her journal that she didn't see Bucky beginning to come to.

His dark blue eyes looked around, noticing her for a brief moment before Steve jogged into the room. "Steve," he muttered.

"Which Bucky am I talking to?" Her friend asked, just to be sure.

"Your mom's name was Sarah." Bucky replied, and then he began to chuckle. His perfectly white teeth shining against his rugged tan skin. "You used to wear newspapers in your shoes."

"You can't read that in a museum." Steve stated.

"Just like that we're supposed to be cool?" Sam asked, interrupting the two old friends, not sure if he should be buying Bucky's words or not.

"What did I do?" Barnes asked, his face was haunted.

"Enough," Emma answered as she stuck her pen in the middle of her journal and threw it back in her bag. Bucky's eyes moved back to her, a pained expression on his face.

Bucky sighed, rolling his head backwards. "Oh God, I knew this would happen." He said. "Everything HYDRA put inside me is still there. All he had to do was say the goddamn words."

"Who was he?" Steve asked.

"I don't know."

"People are dead," Steve replied. "The bombing, the set-up. The doctor did all that just to get ten minutes with you. I need you to do better than 'I don't know'."

Bucky thought for a moment, his thick brows coming together as he racked his memories. "He wanted to know about Siberia. Where I was kept. He wanted to know exactly where."

"Why would he need to know that?" Steve asked again.

"Because I'm not the only Winter Soldier," his friend replied with disdain.

Emma's ears perked up as Bucky recalled his time in Siberia. The experiments HYDRA carried out on prisoners of war, just like himself. With each word, she found herself not wanting to hear anymore. How he was used to train these super-assassins, and how he was beaten every day just so that they would become stronger. She felt her heart begin to constrict again.

And then she remembered the time that she, herself, was kept and experimented on. Enduring the same electroshock treatment in order to erase her memories, day in and day out. Being locked in a cell, not allowed to even use a restroom; slowly dying from starvation and dehydration as her body gave out from underneath her. She wondered how proud Dr. Bösch would be to find out that his experiment became a success.

"Who are they?" Steve interrupted.

"Their most elite death squad," Bucky returned. "More kills than anyone in HYDRA history, and that was before the serum."

"They all turn out like you?" Sam asked.

"Worse."

"The doctor," Emma added. "Could he control them?"

"Enough." His eyes didn't meet hers, and she almost felt disappointed as he looked down to the ground.

"He said he wanted to see an empire fall," Steve stated.

"With these guys he could do it." Bucky replied. "They speak thirty languages, can hide in plain sight. Infiltrate, assassinate, destabilize. They could take a whole country down in one night, you'd never see them coming." She could hear her heart beating vigorously in her chest, and wondered if anyone else could.

Sam crossed the room to speak with Steve, their voices lowered, no doubt making plans. Emma stood and crossed the room to Barnes and knelt before him. His forehead was covered in blood and dirt. He flinched when she moved her hand up to his face and brushed the hair from his eyes. It was the first time she had actually seen them up close. _My God, they're so blue._

"Does it hurt?" She muttered in an almost inaudible whisper. He shook his head, casting his gaze back down to the dirty concrete floor. She, of course, didn't believe him. With a glance over her shoulder to see both Steve and Sam on their phones with their backs towards her, Emma lifted her hand back up to Bucky's face and smoothed it over the bruised skin; instantly healing him of his already-formed concussion.

She knew that his body would have been able to heal it eventually, but she couldn't help but take the opportunity to be close to him. "What'd you do?" He asked her.

Emma stood back on her feet, hoisting her bag over her shoulder. "I just have a gentle touch." An obvious lie. "I'll go see if I can find something to get you out of this thing." She motioned to the vice that was keeping him prisoner and gave him a smile before walking off through the warehouse.

The plan was simple enough. Steve had made some calls, Sam had made some calls, and suddenly the group were stuffed in an old, blue Volkswagen beetle. The car wouldn't have been Emma's first choice, but it was Steve who made the ultimate decision on the getaway car. Before she even thought to, Sam blurted out the word 'shotgun' as soon as Steve drove the bug into the warehouse; and Emma nervously ended up having to climb in the backseat alongside Bucky, which Sam thought was hilarious.

She wasn't going to lie, witnessing the mass of a man try to squeeze into the backseat made a small smile form on her lips. But it was quickly replaced by a hard, thin line when she noticed that there was hardly any room for the both of them, and that his thigh had been touching her's for the majority of the ride; despite the fact that he was trying his absolute hardest to scoot as close to the window as possible.

"We've got to make a stop before we get going," Steve mentioned. "I called Sharon, she's going to bring us our gear."

"Thank God," Emma and Sam said in unison. Though, she hardly needed her handguns anymore, as the bullets could easily be replaced by her abilities; she wouldn't have to worry about the trouble of reloading when she could just suck the life out of her opponent.

They met her on the edge of the city. Her black Audi was already waiting for them when they arrived. Emma was scribbling in her journal, trying to avoid the prying eyes that sat next to her. Her new entries included a list of different shades of blue that could be used to describe those eyes; indigo, azure, cobalt, sky blue, cerulean, sapphire, lapis, arctic, denim. She also added the way her fingers sparked as she touched his skin, and that was before she began to heal him.

"Can you move your seat up?" The man next to her asked Sam. His husky voice pulled her from her from the sketch she was drawing of the metal hand that sat on his thigh. She drew every line, every curve, every indention.

"No." Sam replied dully. Emma shot him a glare, knowing that with just one push of Bucky's left arm, and Sam wouldn't have a choice but to move his seat up.

Bucky shifted in his seat, obviously uncomfortable, and Emma scooted a little bit more to the left in order to give him more room. He took advantage of the two inches she had given him and also moved his body to the left, and without thinking draped his metal appendage over the back of the bench seat. Her entire body froze, even her lungs as she held her breath. The heat that radiated off of this man made her own temperature rise in a way that she didn't think was possible.

His thigh continued to rest against her own, his arm still draped over the back of her seat. Her mind was a frenzy, her insides were reacting, and suddenly she felt her palms begin to tingle. She clenched her fists as tight as she could, digging her fingernails into the flesh as she willed her mind to get itself together. _Not now,_ she thought. _Focus, Emma!_

Her fists began to shake, wanting desperately to release the energy that she was pulling from Bucky. Her eyes shifted towards him to see if he noticed anything, but his stare remained focused on Steve and Sharon outside of the car. But looking at him was only a mistake, as she was so suddenly aware of how handsome he was; the slight stubble of his cheeks, his jawline, the outline his muscles made in that shirt. She had to forcibly remove her eyes from him and focus elsewhere. The two hour drive to Leipzig would be torture if this is what she had to look forward to.

Maybe she could ask Sam to trade places.

Suddenly, she heard the slamming of the trunk and Steve was sliding back into the driver's seat. The tingling in her fingertips had dispersed, and she no longer felt the need to keep her fists balled. Her knuckles were sore as she straightened out her fingers and wiped her clammy hands on her jeans. Bucky pulled his arm out from behind her, and she had to stifle the whine that tried to escape her throat.

"Everything good?" Sam asked as Steve started up the old vehicle.

Her answer would have been 'absolutely not'. But instead Steve nodded his head, adjusting the rear view mirror. "I got everything," He replied. "She found a place for us to lay-low for the night. We'll head to Leipzig in the morning."

"Sounds great!" Emma stated, garnering a look from both Steve and Sam who turned his head to face her. She dare not look to the man at her left, or she might blow the entire car up. But, that'd probably be better than having to endure another second of this. "I'm just tired," she then replied. "It's been a long day and a bed would be great right about now."

She couldn't wait to be out of this car, away from Bucky Barnes and his stupid thighs, and his unrealistically warm body temperature. Her hands opened her journal, and she flipped back to the page with the list of blues, and then decided to make a list of things that could compare to the heat radiating off him; the very obvious one was a furnace, a wood-burning stove, a light that had been left on too long, space heater, the sun, the fires of Hell. If Steve didn't have his window open as he drove, she was sure that she would have melted right there.

The hour long drive to Wittenberg felt like a year; with Sam's playlists, and Steve's incessant need to drive right at the speed limit. They played game after game of 'I Spy', only when Emma said she spied something beautiful, she wasn't talking about Germany's vast landscapes and architecture. Sam even suggested they play a game of 'Never-Have-I-Ever', but the two senior citizens in the car had no idea what that was or how to play, and Emma made the comment that it wasn't fun without alcohol; which prompted a steely stare from Bucky that she could feel without looking at him.

"Who wants snacks?" Sam asked as they pulled up to a Petrol station not far from the motel Sharon had set up for them. She was so thankful Steve needed gas because the tension in the air was thick, and she was sure that she was the only one who could feel it.

"Can you please get me honey bun!?" She begged.

"Oh, I'll get you a honey bun, alright." Sam wagged his eyebrows at her before giving Bucky a cold glance. "How about you, old man?"

"I'm fine." He muttered in response.

Sam didn't ask again and stalked off towards the convenience store. Emma pushed the driver seat upwards and knocked on the window for Steve to open the door. He did so, and she squeezed out, stretching immediately as she sprung free. "Oh, it feels so good!" She moaned as she lifted her arms over her head and twisted until her back cracked.

"You mind pumping this?" Steve asked. "I've got to go to the men's room."

She took the pump from him, filling the car up until the handle clicked to signal that the tank was full. After replacing the gas cap, Emma climbed back into the backseat with Bucky, who's eyes were fixed elsewhere. Her mouth opened to say something, but she couldn't think of anything that she could possibly say that would spark any kind of interest in him.

"I remember."

Emma snapped her eyes up from the chipped nail polish on her fingernails to the man on her right. She wasn't sure if he was speaking to her, or to himself, or perhaps if he had just muttered a thought out loud on accident. "What?" She asked, just in case.

"You said," he began. "You said, 'you could at least recognize me'."

Her heart began to beat wildly once more. She had avoided asking him again, already accepting in her mind that he had no idea who she was. "Do you?" She asked, swallowing down the invisible rock in her throat.

"You were in Brotterode," he recalled. "At the HYDRA compound. That was you in that cell. You asked if I was going to kill you." Bucky still hadn't looked at her, but she kept her stare fixed on him.

She blinked a few times, surprised by his answer. "Why didn't you?" It was the only thing she wanted to know. The burning question that she had been dying to ask him since that night.

It was his turn to be surprised now. Almost turning completely in his seat, he looked her right in the eye. Her fingers began to itch once more as she all but drowned in his oceanic eyes. "I saw that look in your eyes," he told her. His voice was almost a whisper, as if it was a secret. "And I have seen that look before."

Of course he had. He had seen that same lost, and hopeless look in his own eyes every time he got the displeasure of looking into a mirror. She could feel her heart breaking as her mind began to ruminate over his words. He turned his head back to the sound of Steve and Sam approaching the car, and cleared his throat as he shifted back in his seat.

As Emma tried to get a reign on her feelings, she realized that her little personal mission- that saving Bucky Barnes- was going to be a lot harder than she had originally planned.

* * *

 **This is almost 100% original content, which makes me so happy. It's so hard to write original content when you have a timeline to stick to. But I hop you liked it because you'll be getting some more of their little road trip in the next chapter.**

 **I'd like to point out that, for being a story about Bucky Barnes, my most used word is Steve according to my word-counter website. I don't know what to think about that.**

 **Musical inspiration is brought to you by:**

 **1\. Sad Boy - Laila****

 **2\. I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) - Four Tops**

 **3\. Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours) - Stevie Wonders**

 **4\. I Hope That I Don't Fall In Love With You - Tom Waits**

 **Reviews would be great, guys! I know it's been slow, but I promise you it's so worth it. I have so much planned for this story, and I thrive on reviews. They motivate me so much more than no reviews. I'm so thankful for the ones I have, but a few more would be lovely. (Not begging).**


	5. Affected

**Thanks to lourdes1694, and ShapedLikeStars for the reviews!**

* * *

The motel was on a quiet back road, surrounded by a lot trees and chirping crickets. There was thunder in the air, and the first droplets of rain were already hitting the windshield as they pulled up outside. There were maybe two other cars in the gravel parking lot, making it the perfect place for the group to lay low, just like Sharon had mentioned.

Emma had the unfortunate task of stepping into the tiny, dingy office to check the party in. She was the least likely to be recognized, which Steve promised wasn't an insult. Their adjoining rooms were already reserved, she just needed to pick up the key. With her hair pulled back in a bun, and Steve's jacket draped over her shoulders, she stepped into the lobby; a tiny bell ringing over the door as she pulled it open. The round man at the desk looked up, and she prayed that he didn't recognize her.

"Wie kann ich Ihnen hlfen, an diesem Abend?" Her German was good, but it wasn't that good out side of a few common phrases.

"Uh, I reserved two rooms." His eyes lit up at her American accent. "My name is Tandy Bowen."

Her eyes fluttered to the security camera in the corner and as the man turned his back to her in order to grab a pen for her to sign her fake alias into the check-in book, she quickly turned her palm towards the camera, willing it's power into her, disabling it. When he came to face her again, she only met his eyes with a smile as she scribbled down the name that Sharon had come up with.

The man handed her the room keys, and Emma turned back out the door; the rain had already begun picking up. She pulled Steve's jacket over her head, protecting her hair and what makeup still resided on her face. When she came back to the car, she stole a quick glance at Bucky, who was leaning against the brick wall of the building; hands shoved in his pockets, hair wet from the rain, and brooding as usual. _Don't look at him_ , she scolded herself.

"Sam." She called as she tossed him the key to their room, then chucked the next one over to the Captain; who decided he would be staying in a room with his best friend tonight. Not like it mattered to her, the chance of either Sam or Steve allowing her to stay in a room _alone_ with the Winter Soldier was less than the chance of people in Hell getting ice water. "Steve."

He caught the key out of the air with finesse. "Alright, let's rest up. Tomorrow's going to be a big day. We're headed to the airport at first light, so try and get some sleep. That means you, Emma." He told her, knowing that she has struggled with insomnia.

The group said their goodnights to each other and retired to their rooms. Sam jumped in the shower first, while Emma sat on the edge of the bed flicking through the news channels. Almost every headline was something about the Winter Soldier, and she quickly sent Steve a text message letting him know to not turn on the news; not knowing how it would affect his friend to see that the entire world was calling him a murderer.

She kicked off her boots and pulled her journal out of her bag, scribbling in one of the corners, ' _Sam likes to sing in the shower'_. A small smile rested on her lips as her friend softly sang The Temptations from the bathroom. Her hands skimmed the pages, glancing at the pictures of her friends that she missed so much; Tony most of all. He had inadvertently become the father figure that she needed so desperately in her life, and she thought back on the last conversation she had with him. How he sounded like a father grounding his daughter after she had disappointed him, once again.

Finally, Sam turned the water off and Emma jumped at the sound. After the day she had, she needed a long and hot shower desperately. She had chased a man through the crowded streets of Bucharest, was almost killed by that same man in Berlin, then shoved in the backseat of the tiniest car next to said man and felt _things_. She had been all over the place, and she wanted nothing more than to just forget about it.

Sam had one towel wrapped around his waist when he exited the bathroom, and one rubbing over his bald head. Emma scrunched her nose up at him, "get dressed!" She squealed before shutting the bathroom door behind her. And that was when she realized that on the shelf above the toilet, where the towels were _supposed_ to be, was empty. She flung the door back open, "Sam! You used all the towels!"

"Calm down," he goaded her. "I'm sure there's more in the closet."

Only when she opened the closet, but there was only one extra pillow, which she threw on to the bed she had already claimed. "I get the pillow because you took the towel." She stated. "I'm going to go ask them if they have one." Her thumb jutted over her shoulder to the room that was adjacent to theirs.

It was pouring rain now, and the sidewalk beneath her feet was damp despite being covered by a small roof. She took one step out of her room and knocked on the door to the right, hoping that the two older men weren't already asleep. The door handle jiggled slightly before the door was pulled back, and the air in Emma's lungs had suddenly disappeared as she caught sight of the man before her. _So much for forgetting about it_ , her mind commented.

Bucky stood there in the doorway; hair dripping, shirtless, towel draped over his shoulder after having just taken a shower of his own. She stammered on her words as she knowingly let her eyes wander his build. Mentally making a list of words she could use to describe his body. The heat in her hands brought her back to reality, however, and she immediately balled her fists and shoved them as far down into her pockets as she could.

"D-do, uh w-would you happen to have another towel?" Her throat was tight, and the words left her mouth with a squeak. Bucky didn't say anything, only turning on his heel, leaving the door open as he made his way to the closet where there was in fact an extra towel. Her wandering eyes scoped his muscular back, and she almost whined at the sight of the dimples right above his backside.

Beads of water dropped from his hair to his bulky shoulders, and once again she had to forcibly remove her eyes from staring too long; meanwhile internally cursing herself. Thankfully the man couldn't read minds like some of her other teammates. "Thank you." She muttered when he handed her the towel, and he only nodded in response before moving to close the door.

 _Christ_ , she thought to herself as she retreated back to her and Sam's room. She brushed right by a now clothed Falcon, and made a bee-line for the bathroom. As soon as she closed the door she let out the uncontrollable burst of light that had been building up inside of her since being stuck in the backseat with Bucky Barnes. The outburst caused the tiny little bottles of shampoo and soap to come crashing to the floor, and the trash can in the corner rattled. Her body felt so much more at ease now; not so tense as it was before, and much more relaxed. A heavy sigh escaped her and she turned the water on.

" _You okay in there?"_ Sam asked from the other side of the door.

"Yeah, I just tripped trying to get out of these jeans." The lie was unconvincing, and the more she thought about it, the more she wanted to kick the part of her brain in charge of thinking before speaking. She was an Avenger, and Avengers don't trip over their own feet as they try to take their pants off.

" _You need some help?"_ Her friend offered and she rolled her eyes.

"You wish, Wilson."

He let out a chuckle and Emma pulled her shirt over her head. A light purple and blue bruise caught her eye in the mirror, and her hand moved up to trace the colors that contrasted against the pale skin on her neck. Her fingers lightly grazed the bruises, remembering how they got there; the tight squeeze of metal around her windpipe, the blue eyes turned black.

Sam was already passed out when she stepped from the bathroom. The television still lit the dark room, and Emma felt a slight rumble of her stomach. She hadn't eaten much. In fact she had only eaten that honey bun from earlier. She checked her friend's jacket pocket for any leftover euros from the petrol station, and was pleased to hear the soft rattling of change. It wasn't much, but it was enough for a bag of chips which would more than suffice.

There were a couple of vending machines around the corner near the ice machine. She had spotted them after leaving the office earlier; one for snacks, the other for drinks, and the last one for ice. However, as soon as she rounded the corner, there he was standing in front of the snack machine. _Nope_ , she thought. Her body panicked as she pulled herself back around the corner where he couldn't see her. The last thing she wanted was to make contact with him any more than she already had. That was at least until she heard the loud clanking sound coming from his direction.

He was shaking the machine, trying not to make too much noise, but still being loud enough that it would wake up a few of the motel's tenants if he continued. And if he continued, there was no telling if he would break the machine in it's entirety. Lord know he could do it with ease.

"Need some help?" She asked, begrudgingly rounding the corner and stalking over to him. Her mind telling her _just be cool_ , as if she had ever actually been cool in her entire life. It was dark now, and there was still a misty drizzle in the air. The only light that illuminated his face was the one coming from the vending machine. And somehow it made his eyes even more blue than they already were, which shouldn't have been possible.

His jaw was in a hard line, obviously annoyed with his bad luck. And when Emma noticed the cause of his annoyance, she couldn't help but let out a small laugh. There, stuck in the prongs, was a bag of nacho cheese Doritos. Bucky, once again, didn't reply as he stepped to the side and let the petite woman come in between him and his new found enemy. His face reflecting in the glass, was so unsure of how she could possibly achieve at what he had failed in doing.

"This actually works out quite well," she pointed out. "I was actually hoping they had these." The only reply was silence, which made her roll her eyes and regret talking at the same time. She slid in the correct amount of change, and the machine not only released Bucky's bag of chips, but also hers and a third bag. "Well would 'ya look at that?" Her voice was proud as she bent down to pull the chips out of the bin.

His eyes were wide as she turned back to face him, as if she had just done a magic trick. She was about to explain the reason it had happened, but instead just handed the man his Doritos. "I appreciate it," he murmured. She almost gasped at the sound of his rough voice.

"Well we have an extra bag," she reminded him as they walked side by side back to their rooms. "You take half, I take half?"

He actually smiled at her, a sight she never thought she'd see. His hands pulled open the sides of the bag, allowing her to dump in half of the extra chips. "Thanks," he replied. And once again, his words were like honey to her ears, causing her fingertips to tingle with a familiar feeling.

They were standing outside of their respective doors, and Emma replied with a 'you're welcome', before fishing the key out of her back pocket. "Good night," she smiled.

"You too." He said before she closed the door on him, and eyed him through the peephole before he disappeared through his own door.

She finished her bag of chips while she flipped through to find some old, black and white movie that held her interest until the credits began to roll up the screen. And then she tried to sleep, but found herself only tossing and turning, and kicking the blankets off of her only to pull them right back up again. Her mind was running rampant with thoughts she should not be having about the man in the next room.

But then, for no longer than a blink of an eye, her mind flashed an image of a silver haired, Sokovian man in a navy blue hoodie with white arrows lining the sleeves. The guilt clawed at her insides, making her feel worse than she already did, and then her mind was filled with images of him. It was painful. Everywhere she looked, there he was; on the roof of the Avengers tower, in Wakanda, running through the streets of Sokovia, kissing her gently and rough at the same time- for the first time, and the last.

There would be no sleeping for her that night.

Morning came too soon. At the first sight of the sun, Emma pulled the extra pillow out from underneath her head and chucked it at Sam who was snoring loudly in the next bed over. "Wake up, Sam." She stated, slinging her tired legs over the side of the bed.

"Five more minutes," He grumbled as he turned his back away from her and the window she had pulled the curtains from.

"Five more minutes and Steve's going to be in here dragging your ass out of bed, so I'd suggest you get up now." Her ankles cracked as she stepped into the bathroom. A sleepless night left its mark on her face as she splashed herself with water to help alleviate the bags under her eyes. She needed a boost. "I'll be back, I'm going to go grab breakfast from the vending machine."

She knocked a few times on Steve's door, hollering at them to wake up before she continued on her way to the same vending machine Bucky was about to destroy last night. She didn't fetch any change from her pocket, or any crumpled up German dollar bills. Instead she placed both hands firmly on the sides, and pulled the energy from it until the lights began to flicker on the inside.

It helped her feel more energized, but not better. She thought of her ability like drinking a really strong caffeinated beverage. Like coffee with six extra shots of espresso, mixed with an energy drink, and an Adderall. That's how it felt as she sucked the electricity out of something. She had noticed that after using her ability too much, she would start to feel drained all over again. And if she didn't use it enough, it was almost as if she was going through withdrawal. There was no middle ground.

When she came back to the room empty handed, she shrugged her shoulders and told Sam that the machine was out of order. By then, everyone was awake, and not long after, Emma was sliding right back into the backseat with the Winter Soldier. He gave her a thin-lipped smile, but after last night, she had swore never to let Bucky Barnes affect her mind, or make her feel things she didn't want to feel. When she promised Steve she would help find him, this wasn't at all what she signed up for. She didn't sign up to be mentally manipulated by his piercing eyes, or the stubble on his cleft chin, or the suppleness of his bottom lip. But now that he was found, her job was over, and she could go home where she would no longer have to think about his back dimples, or his broad shoulders.

She tried to inch as close to the window as she possibly could, resting her head on her arm. Steve picked the playlist this time, and it wasn't near as eccentric as Sam's. Sounds of jazz filled the vehicle, and it wasn't long before Emma finally got the rest that her body had been needing.

* * *

 **Bonus points if you know who Tandy Bowen is.**

 **Next chapter picks back up with Civil War, so we'll be moving right along and I project this series to maybe end around ten chapters just like it's prequel did. And like I promised, there will be a sequel to this one as well.** **I'm not feeling very good today, so I am truly sorry if this chapter sucks.**

 **Musical inspiration is brought to you by:**

 **1\. I Can't Get Next To You - The Temptations**

 **2\. I Wish (You Were Mine) - Anders**

 **3\. Insomnia - IAMX**

 **4\. All Of Me - Billie Holiday**

 **Reviews are appreciated and encouraged.**


	6. Leipzig

**Wow movie. Much long.**

 **Thanks to drewLOVE who made me feel so happy with the review she posted.**

* * *

She knew exactly what was going on before she even opened her eyes.

It was about five minutes ago that Steve had hit a pretty bad pothole, and Emma was aware of the feeling underneath her head as she pretended to still be asleep. She knew that she was leaning to her right, and she knew who was sitting to her right, and she knew that the arm she was resting on was a little too firm to be human flesh.

And she was aware of the body heat, and the scent of cheap motel body wash and shampoo, and leather. But she was also aware of how tense his entire body was, and she wondered just how long he had been that way. How long had she been using his shoulder- _his metal shoulder_ \- as a pillow? More importantly why didn't he wake her or shrug her off? More important than that, why was she still leaning on him?

She pulled her head from him and looked up sheepishly. He kept his eyes straightforward at the back of Sam's headrest, not even giving her a single glance. The entire right side of her body was warm, and she was sure she probably wouldn't have felt this good even if she sucked every bit of energy from Time's Square. As she pulled herself from him, she could sense his body loosen up a little; it made her self conscious at the very least.

Steve noticed she was awake in the rear view mirror and gave her a smile. "Someone's awake," he pointed out. "Sleep okay?" There was the tiniest smile that played on his lips, it was almost conniving.

"Yeah." She replied, not wanting to give him the honest answer which was more along the lines of, ' _that was the best nap of my life'_. "Are we almost there?"

"Five minutes out." Steve answered. "The gangs waiting for us there."

She nodded her head and turned her attention to her lap where she picked at the already chipped fingernail polish, doing everything she possibly could to avoid turning her gaze to the right and looking at him. Of course she gave in, she had little to no self control; her eyes moved swiftly just to steal a quick glance, but to her surprise he was looking right at her. Screaming internally, she immediately glued her eyes back to her lap as her cheeks heated to a degree even warmer than Bucky Barnes himself.

If she could trade her ability for Wanda's mind reading, she would in a heartbeat. She was dying to know what was going on in that tortured mind of his; and if any of his thoughts were about her. Then again, as she thought about it some more, she probably absolutely did _not_ want to know what he was thinking about her. He was probably thinking to himself right now just how fucking weird she was.

As soon as Steve parked the car, she was pushing at the back of his seat to get out. She couldn't stand another minute in such close proximity with this man. She wouldn't be able to focus at all today, and today was definitely not the day to be distracted.

"Shaw, it's been a while." Clint mentioned once she climbed from the car, giving her a slight nod.

She stayed close to the bug, knowing full-well that Bucky was behind her. She tried not to think about it. Wanda was a mere five feet from her, and she knew her friend wasn't scared to dip into the mind's around her to figure out exactly what they were all thinking. She could have sworn she saw Wanda's eyes flash a shade of red and thought, _she's doing it right now._

Scott Lang was eccentric to say the least, and obviously starstruck by Captain America. The man nearly shook Steve's hand for five minutes while he oogled the soldier. She didn't know much about Lang. He had a cool suit that turned him into a tiny man with super strength, called himself Ant-Man, and once tried to break into their compound. She was on assignment in Vancouver, but when she got home, she had heard enough of Sam's ranting about the man that she wished she would have been there to witness the scuffle.

It definitely would have been a sight to see Sam get his ass beat by a man no bigger than an inch tall.

Emma pulled her bag from the backseat. Bucky stood leaning up against the car, his eyes watching her with each step she took. She glanced down in her bag and looked at the two handguns she carried with her. She could use them, or she could finally come clean with the secret that she had been hiding for way too long. When she looked up, she met Bucky's stare, and she knew that he could tell that she was having a major dilemma with the way his eyes squinted and his head fell slightly to the left.

"We should get moving," Bucky spoke up from where he stood. The sound startled her. She still wasn't used to hearing him talk. He had been so quiet over the last day.

Emma tossed her bag back into the backseat of the bug.

"I've got a chopper lined up," Clint added. A slew of German words sounded over the intercoms of the airport, and Emma knew that whatever it was, wasn't good.

"They're evacuating the airport." Bucky informed them.

Emma and Wanda changed in the confines of the security van that Clint had hijacked. All of the men decided that they were going to change right there, in the middle of the parking deck, like a bunch of children. She did try to sneak a few peaks, though. She'd be lying if she said she didn't want to watch.

"I can't believe you!" Wanda hissed from the back of the van as she tried her hardest to pull her leather leggings over her ass without struggling.

"I can't help it," Emma whined. "When I see an attractive man, my eyes just can not look away. It's this problem that I have and I can't control it!"

"No, what? No, I'm talking about you're going to use your power. Out here, today, in front of everyone." Her friend whispered so that the men outside of the van couldn't hear.

"Oh," Emma replied. "Right, well, uh- I feel like it's going to come out eventually, so why not now when it really matters?"

"Are you sure you're ready?" Wanda asked. "I don't want to see you get hurt."

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be. I know that this is probably going to be the hardest thing we've ever done." She answered. "Our team, we're a family. A giant, dysfunctional family, but a family nonetheless. I've never had a family. I had my grandmother, and I had my best friend who I abandoned. And now she thinks I'm dead, I'm sure. You guys have been the closest thing to a family I've had since my parents left me when I was six." She was almost on the verge of tears. "It can't be easy to fight your family."

Wanda nodded her head with a sullen look on her face. "How do I look?" She asked, motioning to her suit. Emma's jaw nearly dropped at the sight of her friend. She was beautiful with her leather black leggings and red coat. "Stop, Emma." Wanda stated. "You're gorgeous. There's nothing to be jealous about."

"Are you ever not in my head?" She asked her friend.

Wanda laughed and Emma slid the door to the van open. Her eyes immediately found that shimmering, metal arm that caught the sunlight in a way that somehow made the sun shine brighter than it ever had before. _Get out of my head, Wanda,_ she thought upon seeing the smirk that toyed on her friend's lips. Emma barely wanted to admit her feelings to herself, much less have Wanda know about them as well.

"Bucky, Sam, I want you two in the terminal." Steve stated. "Wanda, Clint, stay here in the parking deck. The only way we have a chance at beating them is if we split them up. The quinjet is here somewhere, Sam, find it." She always admired the way Steve made plans. "Lang, you're with me. Emma, please don't get mad, but just hang back."

"Steve, I can help." She told him.

"Emma," He pulled her to the side away from everyone else. Their eyes still followed them, though. "Please don't fight me on this. When we figure out where the quinjet is, I want you to get there."

"I don't want to just run away to the jet, I want to fight. This is my battle, too."

"I'd never forgive myself if you got hurt."

"So, that's what this is?" She was a little disappointed in his words. "You don't think I can handle myself?"

"I'm not going to fight you on this," He replied. Her question remaining unanswered. "Just stay here."

Without another word, Steve walked away to join the others. She almost wanted to do it right there, and it would have been easy with the way her hands had begun to boil. She could have exploded, showed her friend that she _was_ capable of taking care of herself, and that he needed her. But she'd wait for the opportune moment.

The rest of the team followed Steve, splitting off to go to their designated positions. Bucky gave her a glance over his shoulder, his eyes almost apologizing to her. She thought nothing of it as she watched them jog away. Once they were all far enough away, Emma slipping into the driver's seat of Steve's bug. She started the car, and gripped the steering wheel; the energy soaking into her palms until the gas gauge was down to the red 'E'.

"Go to the quinjet, he says." She was mocking Steve now, as she threw open the door to Clint's van. "Just hang back, he says." The keys turned in the ignition and she repeated the process. When she was done, she flicked her fingertips, forcing little daggers of light to spring into the air; and then pulled them right back. "Can't handle myself, he says."

As she ran through the parking deck to the tarmac, Emma could hear that the fighting had already started. She could see Steve and T'Challa going at it with Rhodey not far behind. Ahead of her was Nat, who was seemingly just shaking off a hit that she had taken. Natasha was her friend, and had been the one who trained her vigorously before Emma had a chance at becoming an Avenger.

When the Black Widow got to her feet, she came face-to-face with her pupil. "Shaw," she said in her naturally seductive voice. "You ready to put that training to the test?"

"Teacher versus student," Emma bit back. "How ironic?"

Nat sprang forward, dealing a knee to the younger girl's abdomen. Emma laughed, letting Nat get in a few hits before she made her real move. Kick after kick, hit after hit, Emma ducked as Natasha threw her punches; blocking each shot perfectly, until the Widow got the upper hand- knocking her legs out from underneath her with one swift maneuver.

Emma was on her back with a _thud_ , and Natasha looked pleased with herself. Before the redhead could walk away, Emma grabbed her ankle with one firm grip, and pulled the life force right out of her friend. Natasha stumbled to the ground as Emma stood back up. Her face was confused, red brows pulled together as she looked up at her protege.

"What did you do?" Natasha asked, her eyes were heavy.

"Oh, right!" Emma exclaimed as her fingers twirled through the air, producing flecks of light. "Did I forget to mention that I can do this?" Seconds later she stunned her opponent with a large dagger of energy that propelled from her palm. She knew it wouldn't hurt her friend, just render her unconscious for a short time.

When she looked up, she could see Rhodey approaching Steve for a two-on-one with T'Challa. She ran towards them until she was close enough to throw an energy orb at the War Machine and grab his attention. He turned to her, unaffected by the blast. " _Since when could Emma throw balls of light out of her hands?_ " He asked, obviously directed to his team.

Steve turned to look at her, distracted, and Emma could see T'Challa rear up for another hit; using the moment as an advantage. She flicked her wrist, and suddenly the new king of Wakanda was on his back. Steve's eyes were wide. "I know," Emma stated. "You told me to stay in the car."

Rhodes pulled his hand back, holding his electric baton in the air, and swung his arm towards Emma. She caught his hit, though; the electricity all but phasing her as she held the baton in her hand. If Rhodey wasn't wearing a mask, she would be able to tell that he was shocked. Here she was, holding on to his modified version of a taser with her bare hand. She should have been dead, or at least incapacitated; but it only fueled her more.

"Hey, Cap! Heads up." She heard Lang's voice from behind her. "Throw it at this!"

Seconds later a fuel truck grew to life right before their eyes, and crashed into Rhodey. Emma ducked at the explosion, before turning her attention back to her teammates. "Sorry, I thought it was a water truck." Scott said, apologetic.

"When this is over, you and I are going to have a nice chat." Steve jutted a finger in Emma's direction. "But right now, we need to get to that jet."

The three of them ran off towards hangar five, and met up with the rest of the team on the way. Emma wanted to keep her eyes on the target, and not on the way Bucky Barnes' hair bounced as he ran, but it was already proving to be impossible.

Just then, Vision appeared in the air above them; probing a long line of light from his mind stone, making them stop in their tracks. Emma tried to telepathically communicate with Wanda the idea that the two of them could keep him at bay while the rest of the team go to the jet, but Wanda kept her eyes focused on her friend hovering above them.

"Captain Rogers," Vision began. "I know that you believe what you're doing is right." Suddenly the rest of the opposing side came to join him. Tony, Natasha, Rhodey, T'Challa, and something else; a masked figure in a blue and red suit. "But for the collective good, you must surrender now."

For the first time, all of them were face-to-face with each other.

"What do we do, Cap?" Sam asked.

"We fight."

Faced with the image of her friends running directly at her other friends with no intentions of stopping, Emma could feel the spring inside of her coiling up, ready to burst. She tossed orb after orb into the air, keeping Rhodey from gearing himself up against Falcon, meanwhile keeping her eyes on her grounded opponents to make sure none of them were coming after her.

Suddenly a hard, white substance wrapped around her hands, and she looked up to see the one person she didn't recognize; he was perched on the wing of a jet. With a small wave, he outstretched his arm and swung through the air over to the next plane; almost like a spider. _And this is like webbing_ , she thought to herself. It didn't keep her distracted long, as she eviscerated the material keeping her hands tied.

She tracked the spider's movements, waiting until he shot out another line of webbing before flinging a light dagger his way, cutting his rope and laughing as the punk fell out of the sky to the ground.

There was so much going on around her that she almost didn't spot T'Challa and Barnes. Both men seemed to have the upperhand on one another, fighting for dominance, until the Black Panther knocked Bucky back into boxes of cargo. She ran towards him, propelling an orb towards their opponent, sending him flying backwards.

"You alright?" She asked him, holding her hand out to him.

He took it with a nod, and the two joined Steve, giving them a breather before joining back in on the fight. "We gotta go," Bucky said. "That guy's probably in Siberia by now."

Steve nodded. "We got to take out the flyers. I'll take Vision, you two get to the jet."

" _No, you get to the jet. All of you."_ Sam interjected. " _The rest of us aren't getting out of here."_

" _As much as I hate to admit it,"_ Clint replied. " _If we're going to win this one, some of us are going to have to lose it."_

" _This isn't the real fight, Steve."_ Sam told them. As much as Emma didn't want to split with the rest of her team members, she knew that they were most likely right.

Steve looked over at Bucky and Emma. His expression torn. "Alright, Sam. What's the plan?"

" _We need a diversion. Something big."_

" _I got something kind of big,"_ it was Scott. " _But I can't hold it very long. On my signal, run like hell. And if I tear myself in half, don't come back for me."_

"He's going to tear himself in half?" Bucky asked.

"Are you sure about this, Scott?" Emma asked through her earpiece.

" _I do it all the time,"_ he replied. " _I mean once, in a lab, and I passed out."_

Emma shared a look with her teammates as Scott Lang gave himself a pep talk ensuring himself that he was a boss. Seconds later, tiny Ant-Man was no longer tiny- in fact he was a giant. He had a hold of Rhodey's leg as he let out a maniacal laugh.

"I guess that's the signal." Steve commented, as the three watched on with surprise.

"Let's go," Emma said.

Among the chaos of Giant Scott Lang, Emma along with Cap and Bucky tried to make their way towards the quinjet unnoticed. Up ahead, she could see the familiar jet waiting for them.

" _Something just flew in me!"_ She heard Scott's voice in her ear, and turned momentarily to see Vision phasing through Lang.

Using his mind stone, Vision brought down the stairwell next to the hangar, and Emma shot out a blast that took all the energy out of her in order to distract him long enough to stop. She stumbled backwards, as her energy bursts had no effect on the red man, and she had just used every ounce within in her. Wanda held the falling rubble long enough for Steve and Bucky to get through, but Emma didn't make it.

T'Challa ran past them, effortlessly climbing the rubble, still hell-bent on getting to Bucky. Seconds later, the jet flew out of the hangar and into the sky. Rhodey and Tony following closely behind it. She was too tired to do anything, but with her team outnumbered- and most of them down for the count- she knew she had to get out of there before she was arrested.

Natasha was at her side in a moment, soft smile on her face. "I'm proud of you," she stated.

Emma smiled up at her, glad that there was still a flicker of friendship still there. However, sad, because of what she was about to do. "I'm sorry, Nat." She whispered as she, for the second time, pulled Natasha's energy right out of her body in order to fuel herself. "Please don't be mad."

She sprang to her feet, happy to see that even Vision was distracted long enough for her to run towards the parking deck. She climbed into the first car she saw- an airport security vehicle- and without keys, used her ability to start the engine. She got out of there, hating herself for being selfish enough to leave her friends behind. but there was somewhere else that she needed to be more, and she knew that Steve and Bucky were going to need all the help they could get.

* * *

 **You guys, I love Spiderman so much. Seriously I know Tom Holland is young(er than me) but I love him.** **I hope you all enjoyed this mass hysteria that was this chapter. That was all over the place. That probably is terrible. But, hey... At least the beginning was cute. At this point in time I have exactly 43:17 left of the movie that I have been pausing and playing over the course of how many days has it been since I started this?**

 **"Screaming internally, she immediately glued her eyes back to her lap as her cheeks heated to a degree even warmer than Bucky Barnes himself." is probably my all time favorite line that I've ever written. I don't know why, but I seriously feel like the term 'screaming internally' captivates Emma perfectly.**

 **Musical inspiration is:**

 **1\. Feel So Close - Nelly Furtado**

 **2.** **Civil War - Henry Jackman**

 **Also, I have a fantasssstic idea for a new Bucky Barnes story. I'm not going to start it until I'm completely done with this series, but I'd love to know who'd be down to read it. It would be based after Civil War... I'd love to write more for Buck, I'm in love with him. Let me know!**

 **Reviews would be lovely!**


	7. Follow You

**Thanks to skinkypi for the review! I hope she does, too!**

* * *

Steve would probably ground her if he ever found out she was stealing. She didn't _need_ to steal, she had enough money in her bank account for what she needed, but if she used her credit cards, it'd lead them right to her. As much as she hated it, she had no choice but to break the law.

The hood of her jacket covered most of her face; and she knew the ATM's camera wouldn't be able to run a facial recognition scan on only her lips. It wouldn't be able to do much before her fingers disabled it, anyways. The electromagnetic field pulsing through her fingertips emptied the machine's internal bank into her hands; it was more than enough, but might as well. _Go big or go home, right?_ She thought to herself as she stuffed the wad of cash into her pocket.

She darted into the first clothing store she saw; picking up a new bag, a change of clothes, a baseball cap, and a pair of sunglasses. The clothes weren't high fashion, she needed to lay low as much as possible; and the plain white t-shirt and dark blue jeans were enough. To spice things up a bit, she slipped on a tan leather jacket to pull her look together; despite the fact that it was summer in Germany.

Her next objective was to find a way to Siberia. The use of a quinjet was a great idea, but impossible without being arrested. She'd never make it through airport security or border control. Flying was her only option, but unless she could commandeer a private jet, there would be no way to get there in time.

 _Speak of the Devil_ , she thought to herself with a small smirk on her lips.

Through the window of a small coffee shop was a familiar face; dressed in a black leather jacket, grey t-shirt, and black jeans- trying to lay low, just as she was. The sunglasses didn't throw her, she knew exactly who he was; and if she needed a hint, the ring on his right hand gave it away. She approached him, from behind, while he talked away on his cellphone in his native tongue. Before he finished his conversation, Emma pulled the phone right from his hand and drained it of it's battery life.

"I am surprised to see you here, Ms. Shaw." His accent was thick as he squinted through the dark shades. "I figured you'd be on your way to prison with the rest of your friends."

She smirked at him, sliding his phone back over the table as she took a seat across from him. "I'm smarter than that, your highness."

"What do you want?" T'Challa asked, cutting through the small talk.

"You want Barnes, so do I." She stated simply, ignoring the fact that she had just openly admitted to _wanting_ Bucky Barnes. "Take me with you and I'll tell you where they're going, only so you can see for yourself that you're after the wrong man."

"There's a catch, I'm sure." He replied.

Emma shook her head. "There is no catch, your highness. You're the only way I can get out of here and help my friends, because they're going to need it. If you want to continue to believe that Bucky killed your father in Berlin, fine, but the man who actually is responsible will be there. And he's about to do something that none of us will be able to stop unless we get there first."

T'Challa thought hard about what she had just laid out in front of him. She could tell in the way his jaw clenched. A man of his stature wouldn't want to give in, but he most likely had no idea where the men were, and it'd take him too long to figure it out for himself. "I have a private jet scheduled to be here in twenty minutes." She could have jumped over the table and hugged him, but she kept herself calm. "I suggest you get what you need now."

One black coffee with two extra shots of espresso, a slim jim, and four granola bars later, Emma was boarding the small plane with T'Challa. She didn't forget to pick up a postcard with a picture of the St. Thomas Church on the front of it to stuff in her journal. If she even still had a journal. It was probably still in the floorboard of that old bug Steve had hijacked. Next time she would leave her notebook in the top drawer of her nightstand, where it would remain safe. After all, what is the point in taking the time to write down her cherished memories if she was only going to lose them in a parking deck in the middle of Leipzig?

The Wakanda king was silent the entire way, leaving Emma to doodle little pictures of a cartoon version of the Black Panther on the back of said postcard. She made sure to include tiny reminders of Leipzig; like how she got the upper-hand on Natasha not once, but two times. Or how she sent T'Challa flying through the air with just one flick of her wrist. And not to forget, ' _the way Bucky's hair bounced as he ran- as if he was in some kind of fucking shampoo commercial'_. She sketched an image of the Spider Kid, perched on the wing of a plane, and what her best drawing of what her little 'light daggers' looked like when they manifested.

Everyone knew about her abilities now. There was no hiding them any longer. The thought of going back to New York made her stomach churn. What would they say? How would they react? Would Tony still kick her off of the team? Would she be experimented on again, and poked and prodded so that they could find out the limitations of her power? As she tried to come up with each answer in her mind, she kept thinking that it would be best to just _not_ go back to New York.

Steve probably wouldn't go back after what happened, and Bucky would probably follow Steve wherever he went. Everyone else is probably being shoved into a cell at this very moment. She most likely tarnished whatever friendship she had with Natasha. Maybe she could go back to Virginia, give Hannah the surprise of her life. Maybe she would finally crack open that manilla folder and read the file on her parents, finally figure out how they died, or where they were buried. Maybe she could live the rest of her days as an electrician.

The sound of T'Challa clearing his throat sounded from the front of the jet, pulling Emma from her thoughts. "We'll be landing in five minutes." He told her.

She joined him at his side, looking out at the vast wasteland that was Siberia. It was stark white. Nothing but snow. She could see a bunker in the distance, and the silhouette of the quinjet. She hoped and she prayed that it wasn't too late, and that there weren't a handful of psycho assassins on the loose, killing her friends. She already had a problem with guilt. Walking into the image of Steve and Bucky's dead bodies would only send her over the edge that she was already teetering on.

Once the jet landed, Emma stepped out into the frozen tundra. She definitely wasn't dressed for the occasion, and was happier now more than ever that she opted for that leather jacket. Her hands clutched it to her body, as her feet sank into the snow. She couldn't keep her teeth from chattering as T'Challa didn't seem bothered at all by the weather in his fancy vibranium suit. "It's-s b-best t-to k-keep t-toget-ther." She stuttered as they walked slowly towards the building.

The air around them didn't change once they were inside. It was still cold, and her breath swirled around her in little wisps. "This way," she mentioned to the Wakandan king once she picked up on some source of energy; hoping it would lead them to her friends and not to the enemy. She could hear raised voices; Steve's for sure, and was that Tony?

 _"I'm bettin' I could beat that!"_ It was definitely Tony.

She peaked her head around the corner and saw the three men standing in the middle of the room. Zemo was cowardly locked away in a chamber. The Winter Soldier death squad were still in their cryochambers; probably dead. She couldn't see much from where she was without making herself known, and she wasn't totally sure if that was a good idea at this point. She wanted to call out to her friends, desperately. Let them know that she was here if they needed help.

"You killed innocent people in Berlin just to bring us here?" Steve asked the doctor. Emma looked over at T'Challa who seemed as if it had finally all clicked in place. James Buchanan Barnes was an innocent man, and if she was a betting woman, she would bet that T'Challa's eyes were apologetic behind that mask.

A small television flickered on after Zemo and Captain America shared a few hushed words. The screen drew in the attention of the three men. Emma couldn't see what was on it from her position, but it must have been important is Zemo had done all of this just for them to see it. _"An empire toppled by its enemies can rise again, but one which topples from within… that's dead, forever."_ She could hear the doctor's voice through the speaker in his chamber.

Emma watched as Tony stepped in front of the screen. "I know that road," he mentioned. "What is this?" His eyes were glued to the television, and she wished that she could see what was playing.

 _"Howard!"_ She heard, and her heart dropped. Suddenly, she knew that whatever was on that tape had to do with Tony's parents. She saw Stark's head turn towards Bucky, and it all pieced itself together. The Winter Soldier had killed Howard and Maria Stark. _"Howard!"_

Tony lunged for Bucky, but Steve held him back. "I didn't know it was him," she heard Steve say. And could see Tony's mouth moving, but his low was too low to make out what he was saying. Emma looked over at T'Challa to see if he could understand them, but he remained quiet. "Yes."

Suddenly, Steve was on his back and Tony was shooting missiles from his wrists at Bucky. "Go!" She yelled at her new friend. "Find Zemo! I'll take care of them!" With that T'Challa ran in the opposite direction, and Emma shed herself of her leather jacket, rubbing her hands together to create some friction.

Tony flew Bucky through the air, throwing punch after punch that was hard for the soldier to dodge with one of Tony's iron hands around his neck. "Tony, stop!" She yelled at the Iron Man. His illuminated eyes snapped up in her direction, and the distraction was enough for Steve to get Tony off of Barnes, if only for a second. Stark knocked Captain America right back, sending him flying to the floor, before securing his legs with a bind.

"You shouldn't be here, Shaw." Tony spat, holding his wrist directed towards her.

Right as he was about to send a missile her way, Bucky sprang to his feet and grabbed Tony. A rogue missile shot out, hitting a tank behind her, sending an explosion into the air. She had to do something, they were going to kill themselves trying to kill each other. However, the men were all moving too much, all over each other, and she had no idea what to do.

The entire interior of the building was falling apart. Emma ucked out of the way as Tony and Bucky fell from the air. "Bucky!" She called, running towards him.

"What are you doing here?" He asked. His voice was gruff, shaking off the fall he had just endured. She held out her hand, pulling him to his feet, her eyes scanning his features for any injuries that she could possibly fix.

"I had to make sure you were okay." She confessed. Bucky's bewildered expression softened, and there was a look in his eye that she had never seen before. There was surprise, and another emotion that made his pupils dilate, leaving only a small ring of dark blue behind.

"Look out!" He yelled, pulling her towards him as a falling piece of debris came crashing to the ground. Being this close to him with his arms wrapped around her waist sent her mind into a fuzzy haze.

Steve popped from the rubble, and suddenly Bucky's flesh arm was no longer around her. "Get out of here!" Their captain yelled to the two of them.

Bucky pulled Emma behind him as he ran towards the nearest exit. She was sure he was going the wrong way, but he was the one who had been here before, for a very long period of time. She tried not to think about her hand in his, fingers laced, creating a tingling sensation in her fingertips; but it was all her mind could focus on as they ran- Tony not very far at all behind them.

His metal hand punched a button on the wall, nearly breaking it, before the ceiling hatch began to open. As she looked up at the platforms lining the walls, she wondered how in the hell she was going to make it up that thing without a flight of stairs. But Bucky squatted down, holding his hands cupped for her, silently asking if she needed a boost. She slipped her foot into his hands and effortlessly he hoisted her to the first platform, and then jumped up himself with little to no effort. She cursed his super-serum athleticism.

Bucky jumped from platform to platform, trying to keep a good enough distance from Stark and Emma sent out daggers to try and slow him down long enough for Bucky to swing back and give her another lift to the next platform. She could feel herself getting tired; her power becoming more weak by the second. If only she could get her hands on Tony, or focus enough to draw the energy out of his suit, but now Steve had entered the fray, and she was so goddamn worried about the two men that she couldn't keep her mind straight.

When they finally reached the top platform, Emma turned back as Bucky began to climb the ladder that would lead them out. Once more, she mustered all of the energy that she possessed and sent out one last bolt of electricity toward Tony, but her power was already so weak that it didn't even reach him from his place at the bottom of the area.

A missile flew past her, hitting the hinge of the hatch; exploding to life as the lid came crashing down. Before she could duck out of the way, a large, broken block of concrete collided with her head. She could feel the blood as she staggered backwards.

"Emma!" She heard. It was his voice.

Her vision was blurry, but he lunged forward to her; his hands reaching out to catch her, but his fingertips just barely grazed hers. She remembered the fall, watching as Bucky's face became further and further away from her. And she remembered hitting the ground, her vision too foggy to make out the figures above her.

She tried to stay conscious. Tried to move her hands, tried to will her power to come forth and fix the contusion to her brain that she felt throbbing with each shaky breath she took. But once she closed her eyes, she was gone.

* * *

 **First, I'm sorry that it sucked so bad. It's a filler piece, and I needed it to get to the next part of the story. Think of it as a rickety bridge that you have to cross to get over to the better side?**

 **Second, I'm also sorry that it has been DAYS since the last update. My laptop crashed, and I mean it's fucking dead. I had to go to the damn public library and write this chapter, only when I went to play the movie to get some dialogue... The software in the library's computers is so outdated that it wouldn't play the damn movie. So i had to go back home, hand write everything from the movie that I needed, and then wake up early as fuck to get here to the library to day and write this for you. And it sucks.**

 **Third, Emma is starting to piss me off. If she's pissing you off too, don't worry... She has the entire next series to make you feel better about her, and she will redeem herself. /smiles/**

 **Musical inspiration:**

 **I listened to a lot of Melanie Martinez while writing this**

 **1\. Revealed - Henry Jackman**

 **2\. Clash - Henry Jackman**

 **Reviews are appreciated and encouraged!**


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